Turtle Trax
by Kellie Fay
Summary: Four Chance encounters makes for some interesting team ups.


Turtle Trax

By Kellie Fay

Four chance encounters make for some interesting team ups.

Authors Note: Okay this is sort of a 4 shot and I will admit guiltily that all four stories are not finished. But I feel justified in posting this because each chapter is going to be a single story within itself. Chapters 2 – 4 will have references to previous chapters but each will be their own story. Therefore let the story telling begin!

The Transformers used here are G1 Season 2. According to the Time line most of them shouldn't be here, but I wanted to use these particular Transformers So it's kind of an AU.

As always Reviews make the insecure author very happy I don't know why so few people liked Orca Song, but I hope this is received better.

Chapter 1: Red meets Red

_Oh__man!__Am__I__gonna__hear__it__from__Leo__when__I__get__back__home._ Raphael thought to himself. He cut through a back alley pausing only to pull the third dart out of his leg. _If__I__make__it__back__home._ Already he could feel the drugs The Foot shot into him messing up his balance and coordination. He ran down two more streets to a small space between two buildings. He reached out to grab the bottom rung of the fire escape, but his vision greyed out at that moment, and he found himself on his hands and knees instead.

"Damn Foot," he muttered, "damn tranques. Why can't they fight fair once in their lives?" He felt his eyes closing and shook his head hard. "Come on Raph, snap out of it. You can't pass out here!"

From out of nowhere an elderly gruff voice asked, "you in some kind of trouble kid?"

Terror managed to get Raphael back on his feet with both his sai drawn. "Whose there?" He demanded trying to stay on his feet.

Again the voice didn't appear to have a source, but he heard it nevertheless "Relax son. I ain't gonna hurt you. You just look like you could use some help."

The tranquilizers the Foot shot into him must be messing with his mind. He could swear he heard someone in the alley with him, but he couldn't see anything except an old beat up red van.

Another wave of dizziness forced him to lean against the van trying to stay on his feet. "Damn Foot shot me full of tranqus," he said. "Can't...can't keep my eyes open."

The back of the van suddenly swung open. "Get in son, you can rest in here."

Barely able to stand Raphael looked at the van puzzled. "Who are you? Why are you helping me?" Maybe the drugs were messing with his mind. For some reason it sounded like the van talked.

The voice chuckled. "Because it looks like you need it son. Get in. I'll keep you safe. Are the guys in black the ones who drugged you? Cuz it looks like their coming this way."

_More__Foot,__great!_ At that point he knew he didn't have much of a choice. He crawled into the back of the van and collapsed. He heard the back of the van close, and all the lights when out, but he still didn't see anybody. "Where...where are you? Why can't I see you?"

"It's all right, kid," The strange voice said gently. "Just sleep off those tranqus, I'll take care of you."

Raphael couldn't argue. He didn't have the strength to. Before he could think of what to do, he curled up on the floor of the van and passed out.

_Ironhide__to__Prowl__come__in,_ The aged Autobot said with a sigh.

Ever patient Prowl asked. _What__'__s__the__matter__Ironhide?__Did__you__find__evidence__of__Decepticon__activity?_

_Well__no,_ he radioed back sheepishly. Prowl hated changes in routine. _I__kinda__picked__myself__up__a__passenger.__Can__someone__come__take__my__post?__I__think__I__want__Rachet__to__take__a__look__at__him._

If Prowl didn't like the request he didn't let on. _I__'__ll__send__Sideswipe__in__to__cover__you.__Ratchet__'__s__been__complaining__about__him__hovering__since__Sunstreaker__broke__his__axle__playing__tag__with__Starscream__'__s__trine.__Wait__for__him__to__relieve__you__then__bring__in__your__passenger._

_Will__do__Prowl;_ Ironhide said heaving on his hydraulics in relief. Not too long after that the familiar red Lamborghini pulled into the alley. "So what did you pick up this time Old Timer?" Sideswipe teased.

Ironhide chuckled. "Maybe when you've picked up some experience kid I'll let you know." He shot back. Before Sideswipe could retort Ironhide pulled away heading for their temporary New York Base with his sleeping passenger.

He pulled into base hearing their CMO lecturing Sunstreaker yet again. "I swear the next time you snap your axle on one of those fool stunts of yours I'm leaving you without your ability to transform."

"Hey I got Thundercracker didn't I?" Sunstreaker complained.

Rachet grunted, which usually meant he didn't have a snappy come back. When Ironhide chuckled behind him, he left Sunstreaker's side for a moment, and looked down at his best friend sternly. "So what did you find for me this time?" He asked.

Ironhide made the electronic equivalent of a shrug. "You're gonna have to tell me Rachet, cuz I've never seen anything like him. Ironhide popped open the back of his van. "Just be gentle with the kid, he was in a mess of trouble when I found him."

Rachet knelt down and examined the being inside. "Well now, Not something you see every day," Very gently Rachet reached in and extracted the turtle from inside of Ironhide. While doing so he activated his com. _Jazz,__Perceptor,__report__to__med__bay.__Prowl,__Ironhide__is__back__and__you__won__'__t__believe__what__he__brought__me._

Ironhide transformed and watched Rachet place the being on a med table, and begin a series of scans. "Well someone wanted to make sure he didn't go anywhere. He's full of some pretty heavy tranquilizers.

Just then Prowl, Jazz, Bumblebee and Perceptor came into the room. Jazz took one look at the creature on the table, and whistled sharply. "Man! Where did you find him Ironhide?"

Ironhide knelt down getting a better look at the being himself. "Some guys in black were chasing him. They're the ones who doped him up. He needed a place to hide. Jazz what do you know of a group called the Foot?"

Jazz thought a moment. "Old thieves guild from Japan. Ninja mostly into lots of nastiness. Arms smuggling, theft, assassinations. If there's trouble in Japan mostly their involved in it."

Sunstreaker got up off his berth and moved closer. "You know they're in New York here too Jazz. Swipe and I been hearing rumors on the streets."

Prowl glared at Sunstreaker. "You know I don't want to hear anything other than hard facts Sunstreaker. Rumors don't do us any good."

"That's probably why they didn't tell you," Jazz teased his friend.

"Well is this what they looked like?" Ironhide sent a quick data stream to the two senior officers.

Jazz nodded at once. "That's them all right. Seems like Sunshine's rumors aren't rumors after all."

Sunstreaker looked down at the creature. "Eww! You actually carried that thing inside you?"

"It was either that or let those Foot guys get him," Ironhide said crossly.

Bumblebee just stared at the creature. "If I didn't know any better I'd swear it was a turtle."

Perceptor nodded. "An accurate observation, Bumblebee. It is a turtle, and from what I observe it used to be a member of species Trachemys scripta elegans."

Prowl picked up the scientific designation faster than the others. "That used to be a red eared slider?"

"Easy there Prowler," Jazz snickered. "Don't go crashing on Rachet, not while he has such an interesting patient."

"What do you mean used to be?" Ironhide asked.

"Well it obviously a genetic mutation of some kind," Perceptor explained.

"Well whatever it is, those tranquilizers pretty much have him down for now. By my estimation it should take him about six to eight hours to wake up." Rachet said.

"If that is the case Rachet, may I request a blood sample? I would love to ascertain the source of his mutation and the alterations of his DNA" Perceptor asked eagerly.

Prowl nodded. "It may be a good idea." He said thoughtfully. "We might need to be able to locate the source of the mutagenic agent only to keep the Decep-"

"Get the shell away from me! All of you!"

They all looked down at that moment to see the creature on the med table pulling away from them. He fell more than climbed off the med table, shaking his head. He pulled two large knives from his belt and began waving about to force any Autobot nearby away.

"Great!" Sunstreaker growled moving back away from the creature with the rest of them. "Whose bright idea was it not to disarm this guy?"

His eyes felt glued shut, and it felt like weights held his arms and legs down. Sounds faded in and out, but Raphael knew one thing, those voices did not belong to his family.

Where'd ...Hide?

... the guy

...turtle...

...blood sample...DNA...

...locate the source ...

Then he knew. He couldn't see them but he could feel the white lights, the metal table under him. He didn't know how he got here, but this was a lab. He had to get out. "Get the shell away from me! All of you!" He shouted. He pushed off the table, managing to get on his feet. He grabbed for his belt. By some divine grace his hands found his sai. He forced his eyes open, but everything looked blurry. Something touched him to his left. Raphael lashed out striking the bright yellow blur with his sai. A cry of pain made him smile. Whoever they were they were going to be sorry they captured him.

"I thought you said he'd be down for at least six hours!" Jazz said dodging the disorientated creature.

"It was a guess!" Rachet snapped back. "He's fighting the drugs."

"Well give him something else to knock him out!" Sunstreaker shouted. He tried to scoop up the creature, but the moment Sunstreaker's hand came near to the turtle creature it lashed out with its weapons jabbing one deeply into Sunstreaker's arm, severing his motor cables.

"Damn you!" Sunstreaker shouted clutching his now useless arm. "When I get my hands on you I'll-"

"Sunstreaker no!" Bumblebee shouted. "We're scaring him!"

The woozy turtle backed himself into a corner both weapons out. "I ain't afraid of you creeps! I'll take you all on!"

"Easy partner," Jazz tried to sooth the creature. "We ain't gonna hurt you," He tried to get close, but the creature slashed out again with his weapons.

"Get away!" He shouted again.

"Well that worked like a charm," Sunstreaker scoffed.

"The creature should be unconscious from the sedatives in his system." Perceptor said speculatively. "He is fighting the tranquilizers but their effect is not allowing him to perceive his surroundings properly. Most likely he assumes we mean him harm."

"He probably thinks we're the guys who drugged him," Ironhide added.

"So basically we've got a pissed off delusional killer turtle trying to deactivate us!" Sunstreaker glared at Ironhide. "Where do you find these things?"

"Get a little closer Bishop, and I'll show you delusional!" The creature shouted waving about its weapons.

Jazz and Prowl exchanged a serious glance. "If this creature knows Agent Bishop, then I believe that Bumblebee's and Ironhide's assessment of the situation is accurate. It thinks we're his enemies," Prowl said sadly.

"His heart rate is fluctuating," Rachet said. "It's the drugs fighting with his adrenaline. We have to calm this guy down now before he goes into cardiac arrest!"

"First we need to make him listen," Prowl said.

"No, First we need to slow him down!" Rachet snapped back.

"A mild electrical burst of the correct voltage down his spinal column located in his shell should disrupt his motor neurons without harming him." Perceptor suggested.

Rachet nodded. "Jazz, Prowl, Bumblebee, Ironhide, Try to keep him penned in, but be careful."

"Yeah," Bumblebee quipped. "One jab with those things and I'll be due for a major overhaul."

Ratchet first activated his electromagnet used for pulling loose shrapnel out of Autobot chassises. The two weapons the turtle creature wheeled snapped out of his hands into Ratchet's. Rachet handed over the weapons to Perceptor, and they moved in closer.

Once his weapons were gone, the creature tried to kick and punch anyone nearby. Both Ironhide and Prowl ended up with dents before Rachet could get close enough to administer the electrical charge sending the wobbly creature to the floor.

"Thank Primus that's over," Ironhide said examining his dent.

"I'm afraid it's only temporary," Perceptor said. "The paralysis will only last a short time."

"So what do we do with him before he wakes up again?" Bumblebee asked.

"According to my scans he really wasn't awake now," Rachet added.

"You sure could have fooled me," Jazz said

"He was reacting to our presence," Rachet clarified. "His sensory input is most likely skewed, but what he could perceive he took as a threat."

Bumblebee shook his head and looked at the other officers. An exasperated snort came out of his vocalizer. "Come on guys. Look at him! Have any of you even heard about something like him on Earth before? He woke up on a metal table with bright lights surrounded by strangers talking about his DNA! That's gotta be like his worst nightmare!"

Jazz nodded in agreement. "He did mention Bishop, Prowl. You remember what that cat was like. If Bishop is after him then I'd say it's understandable that the guy just tried to take a bite out of us."

"Speak for yourself Jazz!" Sunstreaker growled still holding his injured hand.

"But it wasn't Bishop's guys who were after him," Ironhide said puzzled. "It was that Foot group."

"I know," Jazz said with a grin. "Just add them to the list of people after him, and is it just me or does he remind you of a certain she-bot we tangle with a few years back?"

Prowl nodded. "He is a ninja, just like Night Bird, and The Foot. We may not have found the Decepticons, but we may have stumbled onto a Feud between ninja clans, But how does Bishop fit into all of this?"

The turtle began to struggle again trying to move. "Damn you Bishop Leave us alone! Get away!"

"He's probably dreaming," Rachet explained. "Or like Bumblebee said having nightmares based on his prior experience with this Bishop character, and what he thinks he's hearing here."

"Old Bishop would definitely inspire nightmares," Jazz said sadly.

"The Poor creature is obviously frightened," Perceptor added.

"Not...not scared of you! Fight Fair!" The turtle creature muttered.

Ironhide couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm not sure frightened is the word I'd use."

An expression crossed Prowl's face that Ironhide rarely saw, anger. He knelt down to the semiconscious reptile and said gently. "Listen to me, friend, I would never turn any life form over to Bishop. Even if they were my worst enemy."

"Nugh," The turtle growled struggling to move.

"Man, this guy has the constitution of a rampaging gestalt," Jazz muttered.

"We have to find a way to protect him until he's fully recovered," Prowl said firmly.

"Yeah but how do we get him to recover without trying to take us apart when he's only half awake?" Ironhide asked.

Prowl looked down at the semiconscious turtle. "We find him a friend," he reached out and deftly plucked a small device from the turtle's belt. The turtle groaned in protest, but he still could not move. "This data transmission device contains a number of telephone numbers," Prowl said scanning the device. "I do wish organics would use full designations though. All I see are first names."

Bumblebee chuckled. "Spike does the same thing."

"Here is something interesting," Prowl said. "April, April's cell, April's shop."

"Leave...leave April alone!" The turtle growled.

"You'd better hurry it up Prowl," Jazz said turning serious. "Before sleeping beauty wakes up again."

Prowl nodded absently. "Cross referencing phone number with New York Yellow Pages...ah yes here it is. Same number. Second Time Around, Antiques and Collectables, Proprietor, April O'Neil."

"No...no!" The turtle insisted. "Leave her alone!"

Prowl pushed air through his intakes. "We are not going to harm your friend," he promised. "We are going to find her to send you home." Then he addressed the others. "Ironhide transform, and prepare to roll out. Rachet prepare our friend for transport.

April wondered why all of a sudden her shop phone wouldn't stop ringing. When she finally answered the phone she heard a strange male voice say, "Miss April O'Neil?"

The voice sounded polite, refined, but years of living in New York made April very suspicious. Cautiously she answered, "Yes, I'm April O'Neil."

The voice continued. "Miss O'Neil, recently one of my colleagues came across a unique item that we may need to place within your keeping."

"You called me a three a.m. to give me an item for my shop?" She asked suspiciously.

"I do not believe you would want to display this item in your shop," The strange voice said with an ironic chuckle. "Please if you would come outside we will escort you to a secure location."

"Ummm," April thought fast. "Okay just give me a minute to get dressed."

"Very well," The voice said evenly. "There is a car waiting for you outside."

April hung up the phone and raced upstairs to her bedroom. She didn't need to get dressed. Leonardo came by three hours ago looking for Raphael, so April decided to prep herself for action then. Her Shell Cell sat on her bedroom dresser. Nervously she picked up the Shell Cell hoping that they found Raphael, and they could come to help her. She opened her Shell Cell to dial Leonardo, when she heard that same male voice say, "Miss O'Neil at this time I do not think it would be a good idea to contact your associates. If you would please come out front?"

_These__guys__just__tapped__the__Shell__Cell__'__s__signal__and__hacked__into__it?__Who__are__they?_ Briefly April considered hitting the "panic button," on the Shell Cell, but at that moment a piercing noise came from the phone causing April to deactivate it.

_Great!__They__can__jam__it__too.__Still__if__someone__wanted__the__guys__they__would__want__me__to__call__them__for__help._ She knew then that the only way to find out more about her mysterious caller was to follow directions.

April put on an old beloved hooded sweater and pocketed both her Shell Cell and a tanto Leonardo had given her for her birthday. April then went back down the stairs and outside the shop. Automatically she checked the far end of the block. Sure enough The Foot Surveillance van still sat there waiting for the turtles. Directly in front of her shop sat a police car with a young officer in the driver's seat. Using what Master Splinter taught her she analyzed the young man. _Blue__eyes__blond__hair__perfect__uniform,__perfectly__spotless__uniform,__not__even__a__hair__out__of__place,__perfect__physique.__Apply__the__old__saying.__If__it__looks__too__good__to__be__true__it__probably__is._ April slid her hands into her jacket to firmly grip the tanto within.

The young officer turned to face April. "You do not need the weapon Miss O'Neil." The young man said. "Please get in and we can speak without being observed by your neighbors in the surveillance van."

_Okay__so__they__'__re__not__with__The__Foot._ April thought to herself. _But__that__doesn__'__t__mean__that__their__friends._ "Can you give me a good reason to trust you?" April asked, not releasing her grip on her tanto.

The young officer took his badge off of his uniform pocket and showed it to April. At first April tried to take the badge from the man, but she couldn't touch it. She couldn't touch him. Her hand easily passed through both his badge and his hand. April drew back with a gasp.

"Please do not scream, Miss O'Neil. Just look." The illusionary officer told her.

_He__'__s...he__'__s__a__hologram,__but__why?_ Swallowing the scream, April looked at the badge carefully. _That__is__not__standard__issue__NYPD.__It__almost__looks__like__a__stylized__face.__Wait__a__minute!__I__'__ve__seen__that__symbol__before!__On__Science__Publications!__That__'__s__the__mark__that__goes__on__all__the__publications__that__the__Autobot__Scientists__put__out.__But__that__means...__"_

"You...you're an Autobot?" April asked quietly.

"Yes, and it is most important that you accompany me. Please get in." The Autobot said urgently.

April sighed but she opened the door to the car, and got inside. Once she put her seat belt on the Autobot smoothly pulled out, and drove away from her shop. "Now will you tell me what this is all about?" April asked rather testily.

"One of my people found something rather unique earlier this evening. Preliminary research indicated that you might be willing to take care of it for us."

April couldn't figure out what the Autobot meant, but all speculation ended when the Autobot pulled into a dead end alley where a red van idled.

"Bout time you showed up Prowl," the van said making April jump. "Sleeping beauty is trying to get up again."

"Hopefully our new associate can pacify our current situation." The police car said back. "Miss O'Neil, would you be so kind to open Ironhide's back compartment?"

Puzzled April got out of the police car and opened the back of the red van. "Oh my gosh! Raphael!"

Raphael tried to climb out of the van, but he couldn't seem to open his eyes for more than a moment. He tried to push himself up on his hands, but after wobbling on his arms for two seconds he collapsed again. Without hesitation April hopped in the van and drew the Ninja Turtle into her lap.

Groggy Raphael tried to open his eyes again. "April?" He asked puzzled and surprised.

"Yes I'm here Raph," April said gently. "Everything's all right now. Just relax."

Still Raphael refused to comply. "Trapped?" He asked confused.

April smiled. "No, Raphael, we're not trapped We're safe here."

"No...voices...they're here!" Raphael said struggling in April's lap.

"It's okay Raph," April insisted. "Good people found you. They brought you to me."

The Autobot that brought April there then transformed into a huge robot, and leaned down into the opening of the van. "I feel that we owe you and your friend an apology. Standard Operating procedure is to bring any hu–" the robot smiled before rephrasing. "Any organic being in need of medical attention to our base for assistance. I am afraid we may have frightened him rather badly."

"Told you before I ain't scared of nothing!" Raphael muttered from April's arms.

April smiled and snickered.

The Autobot looked at Raphael for a moment before continuing. "Our Medic told us that it would be best for him if he would stop fighting the tranquilizers and slept. We ascertained he would not do so in our presence."

Concerned April reached down and felt Raphael's pulse. It felt slower than she would have liked, and his skin felt cool, but he seemed otherwise all right. "How did you find him?" She asked.

"He was runnin' from some guys in black," The red van said. "Had a couple of darts in his arms and leg slowing him down. When I saw over twenty of these guys chasing him I knew the odds weren't fair so I let him hide inside of me."

"Inside of you? April where are we?" Raphael asked muzzley.

"Raphael, hush, go to sleep we're fine," April admonished him gently.

"Could have taken twenty Foot if the cruds didn't use those damn tranqus." He muttered relaxing again.

"Of course you could have," April said stroking his head. Raphael sighed into it and finally relaxed.

"Some of our warriors know of this Foot clan," The black and white Autobot said. "If you could help us understand why they assaulted him it would aid me in my report." He must have noticed her tense up at that because he then said, "Only our officers will see this report. I am presuming that since we have never heard of creatures like your friend before they are not known to the general population of your planet."

"Please," April said earnestly. "You can't tell anyone." At the Autobot's nod she said. "Well you guys came from outer space too right?" When he nodded again she asked. "What does the name Ch'rell mean to you?"

The Autobot forced air out of his vents. "The only record of significance for that designation is for an Utrom criminal currently serving a life sentence on the ice asteroid Morgal-Tal for crimes against his own people and a number of neighboring systems."

April eyed the Autobot thinking. "We...my friends and I were instrumental in bringing Ch'rell back to Utrom justice. Until very recently he ran The Foot here on Earth."

Prowl nodded. "That explains the time he was at large. He had been on Earth for many centuries then?" When April nodded the Autobot frowned. "In his past Ch'rell dealt with our enemies, The Decepticons. Lately we have been looking for Decepticon activity in New York. It is possible that Ch'rell reacquainted himself with Megatron's forces. Who runs The Foot now?"

"Her name is Kurai. A human he adopted while he hid in Japan," April answered without hesitation. "And because my friends help put Ch'rell away for good, Kurai has sworn a vendetta against them."

"I see," the Autobot said deep in thought. "Do you believe it is possible that this Kurai, would continue business dealings with Decepticons that were begun by Ch'rell?"

"Hard to say," April admitted. "There used to be a time where Kurai had a code of honor. She worried about harming innocents, and keeping her word, but lately?" April looked down at Raphael sadly. "Now I don't know if there isn't anything she would do if it meant she could get revenge on them."

"Noted," The Autobot said firmly. "I believe you have done us and your friends a great service, Miss O'Neil. I believe it would be prudent for us to set up a surveillance of The Foot Clan. It is important for us to see if they still do indeed have a relationship with The Decepticons, and I believe it would be best for your friends to not get involved. We are supposed to be under cover in your city. It may not be wise to tell them of us."

"That's gonna be hard," April admitted. "They're going to want to know where Raph's been, and I don't like lying to them. They don't have a lot of people they can trust."

"I will trust you to use your best judgment," The Autobot said. "Ironhide will stay with you for as long as you need. If you do not need any further assistance from me, I do need to return to base to report."

"Thank you so much uhhhh," April paused confused. "I'm sorry I didn't get your name."

"I am Autobot Prowl," he said with a smile. "And we were happy to help you and your friend." With that he transformed back into a police car. "Ironhide, report back when your current mission is complete," he said.

The red van answered. "Roger that Prowl," With that the police car sped away, leaving April and Raphael behind with the van, Ironhide.

"You know you don't have to stay with us," April said gingerly. "I can call Raph's brothers and they can pick us up."

"Aww ain't no trouble Miss," Ironhide said. "Besides I got orders from my CMO not to let him out of my site until he's at least coherent. He managed to fight his way past all those drugs and woke up at our base, but he was a little out of it."

April laughed. "Do I want to know about the damages?"

Ironhide chuckled. "I take it he's always so charming?"

April fondly stroked Raphael's head. "If Raph even half woke up where he didn't want to be surrounded by strangers I can guarantee that there were damages, and in the Foot's case probably injuries. I doubt even Raph would be able to do more than dent you guys."

Ironhide shifted on his wheels slightly. "Well he did manage to stick a hole in Sunstreaker and sever his motor cables. He did enough damage to keep our CMO busy for a few hours."

April smiled but sadly. "Yeah I'm afraid that's Raph in a nutshell. Stab first ask questions later."

"Considering that your friend has to deal with both those Foot guys and Bishop, we can understand why he'll fight first." Ironhide explained.

"You guys know about Bishop?" April asked

Ironhide laughed. "Ma'am, We ain't from this planet! Less than a week after we came back online Bishop came sniffin around with his attitude asking how long we was gonna be here and when we were leaving."

"Welcome to Earth," April said dryly.

Ironhide chuckled. "Yeah Prime said 'bout the same thing. Prowl and Jazz explained things real nice to him though. Told him flat out that if they wanted us to go we'd leave, but that would just mean we wouldn't be here when the Decepticons attacked. Didn't take more than three Decepticon attacks for your government to get that message. They let us choose our own human contacts after that."

"I guess when you're a twenty foot robot with built in lasers even Bishop can learn to play nice," April chuckled.

"April who are you talking to?" Raphael asked muzzily.

"It's okay Raph, he's a friend," April said reassuringly, stroking his forehead.

Raphael yawned. "Where's Leo?"

"I'm gonna call him right now. Just relax." April told him. Then with a heavy sigh she said. "I really do have to call his brothers. They don't know he's safe, and he'll feel better if he can hear them."

"All right call them," Ironhide said reluctantly. "But my CMO's gonna have my CPU on a serving tray if I leave before he's awake."

"I'll try to stall them," April said with a wry grin. She pulled out her Shell Cell and hit Leonardo's number on the speed dial.

"April?" Leonardo asked. April could tell how tense Leonardo felt by the sound of his voice.

"Leo, I found Raph," April said not wasting any times with words. "He's loaded up on tranquilizers but he's fine."

Relief poured through the line. "Are you at the shop? We'll come by and get him."

"No," April told them quickly. "Track the Shell Cell signal. In fact could you stop by my place and pick up my keys? I kind of forgot them when I left the house."

Now concern could be felt on the other end of the line. "April? Are you sure you're in a secure position?"

April grinned looking around at the living machine around her. "Yes Leo, We're secure. Take your time. You don't have to rush."

"Okay then," Leonardo answered sounding puzzled. "We'll grab the battle shell and track you down."

"We'll be here," April said. She flipped off the Shell Cell. "By the way," she said addressing Ironhide. "When Prowl has a minute I'd like him to send me a file on how he hacked the Shell Cell, and how to prevent it. My friends do have to protect themselves you know."

"Consider it done," Ironhide said with a satisfied humm in his engine. "Oh and don't worry about your friends none. Prowl may have gone back to base, but he didn't exactly leave us alone out here."

April relaxed. "That's good to know." She admitted.

Twenty minutes later the Battle Shell pulled up blocking the alley completely. All three turtles poured out. "April!" Leonardo called out, "Where's Raph?"

"He's right here," April insisted. "He's fine just knocked out on tranquilizers."

"How did you find him?" Michelangelo asked.

"I got an anonymous phone call telling me to come out here and find this red van. Inside I found Raph." She explained.

Leonardo frowned at April, but didn't say anything. Instead he looked at Donatello, and asked. "How is he Donnie?"

Donatello pressed his finger into Raph's neck. "His pulse is a little slow, but that's probably the sedatives," Donatello reported. "There's not much else we can do for him until Raph sleeps off the tranquilizers." He gently reached out and took Raphael's hand for a moment. To his surprise Raphael gently squeezed Donatello's hand, and released a soft contented sigh.

"He's been drifting in and out like that," April told them. "He's not really awake."

"Then let's get him home," Leonardo said. "Mikey help me carry him. Don, start up the Battle Shell."

"Will do Leo," Donatello said. He jumped in the front seat and began to start the truck up. Nothing happened. "What the?" Donatello checked the systems for the Battle Shell. "That's funny, the computer system is down."

"How long will it take to fix?" Leonardo asked.

"It shouldn't take more than a few minutes," Donatello said. An hour later Donatello still fought with the computer.

"I just don't understand it," He complained. "Every time I think I've got it the problem just shifts. It's like it just doesn't want to work."

"Man Don, sometimes you talk about The Battle Shell like it's alive," Michelangelo complained. He sat in the back of the Battle Shell with Raphael still sleeping. Leonardo nervously patrolled outside. April sat in the back of the Battle Shell with Michelangelo.

"April, were Raph's sai and Shell Cell missing when you found him?" Michelangelo asked.

"I didn't think to look," April admitted. "I'll check the van."

"I'll check April," Leonardo said. His voice sounded calm, but April knew the nervous edge to Leonardo's voice when she heard it.

Leonardo opened the back of the van and look inside again. He didn't see anything, and hopped out to tell the others that Raphael's sai were probably gone for good when the front door of the van popped open. At first startled Leonardo whirled into a ready position. When nothing else happened, Leonardo looked inside the front of the van. On the front seat of the van rested both of Raphael's sai and his Shell Cell.

"Weird," Leonardo muttered to himself. "It's like the van wanted to make sure I found them." He placed his hand on the door to close it when suddenly he heard the radio say, "All right If they're getting that frustrated, cut them loose. We can get an update from the human later."

If that wasn't weird enough Leonardo watched the volume dial to the van's adjusting itself to be quieter. "What the shell?" Leonardo exclaimed then thought about what he just heard.

_cut them loose?_

_update from the human later?_

"Hey I got it!" Donatello said suddenly. Leonardo went back into the Battle Shell and look over his brother's shoulder.

"What was the problem Donnie?" Leonardo asked.

"I'm still not sure," Donatello said, "but everything seems to be working now.

_Cut__them__loose?_ "Well then let's get going then. Leonardo said.

On the drive back to the lair Leonardo turned to April. "Now do you want to tell me what really happened April?"

"What are you talking about?" April asked clearly taken aback.

"You didn't come out here on your own." Leonardo said. "It's two miles from your place and you forgot your keys."

"And you brought your tanto," Michelangelo added. "You thought you were going to have to fight."

April sighed. "You don't have to worry about them. They aren't going to tell anyone about Raph."

"Who are they?" Leonardo insisted.

"They need to stay undercover," April said evenly. "One of them saw Raphael drugged running away from the Foot so he helped Raph out. He brought Raphael back to where they were staying, but Raphael partially woke up, and tried to escape. They figured it was better for everyone if he recovered with someone he knew around so they called me."

"Oh man Raph partially woke up around strangers? Alone? Are these guys gonna come after us now?" Michelangelo asked worried.

April laughed. "No actually they understood. That's why they contacted me."

Leonardo digested this slowly. "Why did they try to keep us in the alley?"

"They didn't want to let Raphael go until they were sure he was okay," April answered back.

Leonardo peered deeply into April's eyes. "And you trust them."

"Absolutely," April answered without hesitation.

"But you don't trust us enough to tell us the whole story," Leonardo shot back at her angrily.

April glared right back at him. "Leonardo, are you asking me to break my word to the people who saved Raphael from the Foot and gave him back to me unharmed?"

Leonardo didn't answer her. Instead he turned away, and knelt down to check on Raphael. April sighed sadly, but she didn't follow him. Michelangelo uneasy, moved over to where Donatello was driving.

"April or Leo?" Donatello asked. Michelangelo didn't even need to know anymore. He wanted to know who's side Michelangelo chose.

"They're both right," He answered back easily. "If they asked April not to say anything about them, then it would be wrong to ask her to, but you know Leo, if he doesn't exactly know who took Raph and what happened to him, he's not going to be happy."

"What about you Mikey?" Donatello asked. "Don't you want to know what happened to Raph?"

"Of course Don," Michelangelo answered instantly, "but if they asked April not to say anything, and she's telling us that, we should leave it alone for now. They were out there watching us, and April was okay with that. Did you notice she wasn't even worried about anyone finding her and Raph?"

"I wondered about how casual she acted," Donatello admitted. "She knew she didn't have to worry about anyone ambushing us. What I want to know is how Leo knew they were holding us in that alley."

"Because I heard a radio transmission when I found Raph's gear." Leonardo said moving up behind the two. "It said if they're getting that frustrated then cut them loose. Them meaning us. They were watching us out there in that alley."

"Already figured that one out Leo," Michelangelo said. "That's why April didn't worry about anyone coming up on us. They weren't watching us, they were protecting us."

Leonardo grew quiet for a moment, his eyes reflecting his internal struggle. "I just wish April would tell us more about these guys who found Raph."

"Leo leave April alone," Donatello admonished gently. "If she promised them she wouldn't talk about them then it would be wrong to ask her for any more details."

Ever trying to calm his brother Michelangelo suggested, "Hey maybe when Raph wakes up he can tell us."

Donatello sighed. "I wouldn't count on that Mikey. From what April did tell us he was already on the tranquilizers when they found him. Even though he's been fighting the tranques he probably won't remember what he did when semiconscious, but don't worry, I have other ways of finding out what happened to Raph."

Mike asked April if she wanted to come with them at the lair. That told her that Leonardo, still was mad at her, and he didn't really want her there. "You can drop me two blocks from my place," She insisted. Michelangelo tried to get her to change her mind, but they ended up going to the lair without her.

Donatello and the others tucked Raphael into his bed and set up shifts to keep an eye on him, just in case. Late that afternoon, Raphael opened his eyes.

He remembered hearing April talking to someone. He couldn't remember seeing anyone around, but April's tone had been calm, gentle and confident. The strangers weren't a threat, so he drifted. Later he heard Leonardo's and Michelangelo's voice, and he felt comfortable enough to sleep. He drifted in and out hearing conversations go on around him, but he knew the voices and they would gently lull him back into dreams. Now he heard a persistent and annoying _scrape__scrape__scrape._ The sharpening of a weapon. Raphael wondered why Leonardo chose to sharpen his katana here in his room. The scraping sound began to bother him, so without opening his eyes Raphael said. "Leo take it somewhere else, I can't sleep."

To his surprise Michelangelo answered him. "Raph you up?"

That made Raphael roll over and open his eyes. To his surprise Michelangelo sat on the floor of the infirmary sharpening his sai. "Mikey?" Raphael asked puzzled.

"Michelangelo put the sai and the tools aside, and moved to the side of the bed. "I'm here Raph. Everything's cool you're home."

Raphael tried to sit up, but he still felt a little dizzy. Michelangelo helped him sit up in the bed. "I'm in the infirmary," Raphael said, trying to think past the fog in his head.

"Uh huh," Michelangelo said calmly. "Don said you're gonna be fine, but you probably should go back to sleep until you're feeling better."

Raphael knew that he should just listen to what Michelangelo was telling him, but there were too many blank spots in his mind right now that he wanted to fill. "The last thing I remember I was on the streets. The Foot!"

"Raph! Take it easy! The Foot never got you," Michelangelo said forcing Raphael back into a laying position. "April said that some guys found you. They didn't let The Foot get you, but they knew they couldn't let you go off on your own. We found you and April in a red van about two miles from her shop."

"The red van..." Raphael echoed thinking. "Mikey I...I think I remember a red van. It was just after the Foot nailed me with something, and I couldn't think. I heard this voice tell me he'd help me out and I remember crawling into this beat up old red van."

Michelangelo nodded. "Must be the same one we found you in. You never saw the guy who helped you."

Raphael shook his head no wishing he hadn't. The infirmary spun around him. "Never saw the guy. Just heard his voice. Old guy." Dizzy he closed his eyes."

"Raph?" Michelangelo asked concerned. Then after a moment. "Go back to sleep bro. Donnie said those drugs are probably still in your system."

"Hmmmm," Raphael murmured he just felt too heavy and dizzy to do anything else but close his eyes and drift off again.

He woke later to hear all three of his brother's whispering to each other in a corner of the infirmary.

"I don't know what he stabbed, but the paint is the kind used on high quality sports cars. Considering the condition of Raph's sai when we found him, I'd say that whatever he went after was large, metallic, and coated with a highly expensive yellow paint."

_Don__in__techno__geek__mode,_ Raphael thought to himself. Then he remembered Michelangelo sharpening his sai before. "What do you mean the condition of my sai?" He asked, making all three of them turn around."

"Raph!" Donatello said happily. Raphael saw the relief on all their faces, and realized how worried they all had been.

All three brothers moved instantly to Raphael's side. "How do you feel Raph?" Leonardo asked. Placing a hand on his shell.

Raphael thought about that for a minute before answering. "Better," he said finally. "But I don't think I'm a hundred percent yet. Man, whatever those Foot are using in their tranques, is strong stuff."

"It doesn't help that for the first couple of hours we were told that you were fighting the sedatives," Donatello added. "All that adrenaline fighting with the tranquilizers probably had you pretty confused and disorientated."

"Do you remember anything at all?" Leonardo asked.

Raphael sat up, but he closed his eyes thinking hard about what he could remember. "I remember crawling into the back of the red van, and then...I...I think I woke up in some kind of lab. They were talking about me, and taking my DNA, I tried to get away, but I couldn't stand up. Then they were talking about finding April, and then she was there, but we weren't in the lab anymore we were in the van again. They were there too. I could hear them talking to April, but it felt calm, and then you guys were there." Raphael shook his head annoyed with himself. "I'm not remembering half of this am I?" He asked.

"Probably not," Donatello said. "According to Casey you left his place at about ten last night. April called us at five in the morning, and it's three twenty seven in the afternoon now."

"Damn," Raphael muttered trying to dredge some extra memories from his brain. "All that time and all I'm getting is bits and pieces."

"Do you remember fighting at all?" Leonardo asked.

Raphael frowned. "Kinda in that lab or wherever. I got off the table and they were trying to get me. I think I hurt someone, but I couldn't really see anything. Just big colored blurs."

Donatello furrowed his brow in thought. "Your left sai had a lot of nicks in it, and flecks of yellow paint. My nearest guess is that during the scuffle you hit something large yellow and metallic."

Raphael sighed and shook his head. "Don't remember," he said.

"What do you remember about being with April?" Leonardo asked.

The sharpness of his brother's tone startled Raphael. "Not a whole lot," he admitted. "I know she was talking to some of the voices that had me in the lab, but it felt, you know really calm and stuff. She wasn't scared of them one bit."

"She must have been scared when she went out to meet them," Michelangelo said thinking out loud. "I mean she went out to them armed."

"But when she met with them, she trusted them." Leonardo mused folding his arms across his plastron. "I only wish I knew who they were and why she trusts them like that!"

Leonardo's tone and body language told Raphael that this was something that annoyed his brother greatly. "Leo?" He asked.

Michelangelo answered him. "April won't tell us anything about the guys that found you. I mean she says she trusts them and everything but she won't tell us who they are, or anything that happened to you."

Raphael closed his eyes again. "They asked her not to," he said.

"You remember that?" Leonardo asked.

"I think so, I remember them asking April about The Foot, but I couldn't follow what she told them. Then they said something about The Shredder having dealings with someone they were after. They said it would be better if we stayed out of it."

"That's what she's trying to do, keep us out of it." Leonardo said. Raphael knew that pose. Leonardo didn't like not knowing everything. Raphael began to wonder if there was a reason April didn't come with them to the lair.

Later when Donatello checked Raphael for side effects to the tranquilizers Raphael asked. "Okay Donnie spill it! What is up with Leo? He ain't mad at me, but someone is in his dog house."

"It's April," Donatello said with a sigh. "She came flat out and told Leo that whoever had you asked her not to tell us about them. She promised them, but Leo's going crazy over not knowing who had you or what they did. So right now their fighting the way you and Leo fight when you're not talking to each other."

"Great that means April won't be coming to visit unless we ask her too." Raphael muttered. "I'd bet she'd tell me stuff If I tell her what I can remember."

Donatello looked at Raphael sternly. "Remember Raph, we don't know how much of the tranquilizers were actually in your system. That means no leaving the lair until you can hold your own against at least Leo, if not two of us at once."

"I know I know," Raphael growled back. "I just wish I could remember something about those guys. If they did drag me off to some lab, why was April so calm about them afterwards?"

"A better question is why were you so calm about it afterwards?" Donatello said turning and looking at the folder he kept Raphael medical notes in. "Most likely they told you something or did something you're not consciously remembering, something that made you realize they weren't a threat."

"Maybe," Raphael said. "That's why I wanna go see April. I think she can probably help me remember stuff, and if that happens maybe we can get Leo off her back."

Donatello sighed. Raphael had to suppress a grin. Everyone knew how much Don liked working with April on his experiments. Anything keeping April out of the lair made for a very unhappy Donatello. Raphael promised himself the moment he got medical clearance he'd be up at April's trying to get some answers.

Raphael's breath came in short pants. He blocked Leonardo's strike with his sai and kicked out behind him to get Donatello to step back a foot. His left sai then blocked Donatello's bo, pulled the weapon away from his brother, then ducked under Leonardo's left katana kicked his brother's feet out from under him, pounded him hard on his plastron with his elbow, and sat on his chest putting his right sai to his brother's throat. "I win," he said grinning.

Donatello breathing heavily from the exertion picked up his bo and leaned it and himself against the wall. "Well I'm satisfied, Leo?"

"If I say he's cleared does that mean he'll get off of me?" Leonardo teased. Raphael chuckled and rose from his place on Leonardo's chest. He offered a hand to Leonardo who took it and got to his feet. "You'll do," Leonardo said calmly.

Raphael let out a satisfied sigh. Three days trapped in the lair waiting for medical clearance was enough to drive Raphael stir crazy. "Well if since you're both in agreement I'll be on my merry way!" Raphael said. He stuffed his sai into his belt and made for the entrance to the Lair.

"Be careful anyway about going to April's," Leonardo said. "Mikey said he saw a police car parked around her place yesterday."

Raphael rolled his eyes. "I did not spend three day's getting clearance to be mother henned by you Leo. I'll be fine, I won't even go above ground. Happy?"

Leonardo's face told Raphael exactly how he felt about it, but didn't argue when Raphael marched out of the door to the lair.

Keeping his promise anyway, only because he felt like it, Raphael kept to the underground tunnel they made to April's basement. Very carefully Raphael made his way up the stairs. The shop door hung partway open, and Raphael could clearly see April resting on the hood of a sliver grey Datsun chatting to whoever sat inside. Raphael decided to wait upstairs for April to finish.

April came up a few seconds later. "Hello?" When Raphael came out of hiding she smiled. Hey Raph finally got cleared to come out again huh?"

"Yep," Raphael said then looked at April closely. "April how'd you know I was up here anyway?"

April blushed slightly, and then changed the topic. "Is Leo still mad at me?"

_Damn,__she__thinks__I__'__m__gonna__be__like__Leo._ "I guess. Mr. Control Freak is never happy unless he knows everything, but if your new friends told you to keep us in the dark, I can understand that."

Now April looked really unhappy. Raphael knew that she wanted to tell them something, but still she held back, so he changed topics again. "You still didn't answer my question. I saw you talking to someone in that car out there. How did you know I was here?"

"They have ways of finding living beings," she said evenly. "Even a ninja can't hide from them."

_Well__that__'__s__not__good._ "So basically they can tell whenever we're around, great."

April looked sad again. "They can tell every living creature in a quarter mile radius, from the family of six living two blocks away, to the number of roaches in my basement. So yeah they can tell a mutant turtle is up in my apartment."

_No__wonder__Leo__'__s__nervy,__but__April__still__ain__'__t__gonna__tell__us__anything__about__them._ "So wait," Raphael asked when the thought occurred to him. "You mean the guy in that car down there is one of them?" When he saw the expression on her face he knew. "I'm right aren't I?"

"He didn't see you, Raph so I wouldn't go trying to talk to him, and don't forget the Foot Surveillance van is right at the end of the block. You can't go out there."

_Damn,_ April was right of course. He didn't want to get caught by the Foot again. He wanted to ask her more about how she found him when April asked. "Do you remember anything about them?"

Raphael took a deep breath hoping he could turn the conversation around. "That's what I was hoping you'd help me with. I don't remember a lot, but what I do remember don't make any sense. When I was first shot with tranques by the Foot, I remember hearing this guy asking me if I was in trouble and offering to help me out. But I never saw him, even when I crawled up in the van. Then when you were talking to him, you knew where he was but I still couldn't see him."

April smiled, which made no sense to Raphael. Why did she think that was funny? But the grin faded quickly, and she asked. "You don't remember anything in between?"

"If it wasn't a dream I remember waking up in some lab or something, and I tried to escape, but I couldn't see anything except big colored blobs. Don thinks the tranques were messing with my vision."

April sighed. "The one who found you took you to their base. When they realized that they shouldn't have moved you they contacted me."

"So you knew these guys before us?" Raphael asked puzzled April shook her head firmly no.

"I knew of them through publications, but I never met any of them until that night. They're on an undercover operation here in the city. That's why they have to keep secret."

She said it again. She had to keep them a secret. Raphael sighed. He glanced out the window and to his shock saw that same old red van pulling up in front of April's shop. April didn't noticed yet, and if he pointed out the van he knew April would discourage him from following.

He couldn't go out the front windows to the roof. The Foot were waiting in their surveillance van for just such evidence that they were here. Instead he went to the back of her apartment, and slipped out a back window. Once there he jumped three roofs away and then watched to see where the red van went.

The red van just pulled away from the silver Datsun. Going up the street, Raphael followed him a good twenty blocks from the rooftops until it reached a ware house by tenth avenue. It waited for a few minutes for a fancy sports car to park next to him. Then to his utter and complete shock both cars transformed into giant robots that could easily give Nano a run for his money.

"Red said you can't go in 'Hide," the former sports car said.

"Ya didn't have to tell me that, Jazz," the former van said. "Bluestreak warned me my little friend was visiting when I popped over there to relieve him. He's been tailing me since.

_Damn,__what__was__I__thinking?__April__said__they__can__detect__me,__and__now__I__know__why.__These__guys__are__robots.__They__got__all__sorts__of__sensors.__There__'__s__no__way__we__can__hide__from__them!_ Raphael didn't know what to do about this. He just sat up on the roof and listened some more.

"You gonna do what I think you're gonna do?" The former sports car asked his friend. "Red's gonna have a fit."

The former red van folded his massive arms and glared at the sports car. "It's my fault, and tell me you wouldn't do the same thing if it was you."

The former sports car shrugged and grinned. "I'll let Prowl know you've been 'delayed,'" he said with a chuckle. "See ya later Ironhide!" With that the robot changed back into a sports car and drove off.

The former red van glanced up right where Raphael sat in the shadows and made a swift node with his head like a signal. Then he also transformed into a van and drove slowly away from the ware house.

_He__wants__me__to__follow__him,_ Raphael realized. Mentally shrugging, he did so jumping from rooftop to rooftop until he found the van parked in the same alley where the guys claimed they found him four days ago. More than a little nervy, Raphael jumped down from the roofs, and faced the robot disguised as a red van.

The door to the van's cab popped open. "Get inside son. I don't think you want your friends in black finding you again." Again the voice seemed to come out of nowhere, but this time Raphael understood. The van did talk! Still the thought of going inside this living van and trusting him, went against his training.

"You coming or not?" The van asked.

He had to decide. With a sigh, knowing he was doing something stupid, Raphael hopped into the van and closed the door. Without thinking about it he put on the seat belt. The red van pulled away and began to drive. Raphael began to panic, but the van said. "Calm down son, we'll look more natural if we're moving. I aint taking you anywhere. If you want I'll let you steer, okay?"

Puzzled Raphael put his hands on the steering wheel of the van, and felt it literally relax under his touch. He didn't have to touch the gas pedals or the breaks. The van seemed to know exactly when to accelerate or break. "Who are you guys anyway?" Raphael asked.

"Better for you not to know what we're called, son," The Van said calmly. "But you saw us for what we are back at the warehouse. We're from a distant planet and right now we're protecting your planet from some of our enemies. That's why we're here in New York now."

"I think I remember that," Raphael said making a left turn. "I remember you or someone else telling April that you thought The Foot was involved with those guys you're looking for."

The van chuckled. "Yeah Prowl's our tactician. He asked your human friend all sorts of questions about those Foot guys. They might have connections to the guys we're looking for. That could be a bad combination from what we're finding out."

"Yeah you could say that," Raphael said making a left turn. "So why are we taking this little road trip? I thought you were supposed to be hiding from us."

The van chuckled "yeah my superiors would rather we not have this little chat, but I thought you deserved it. I wanted to say I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" Raphael echoed puzzled. "What the shell happened while you had me?"

Not normally sensitive to emotions Raphael suddenly felt something like embarrassment from the van. "Well you were a little upset when you woke up I didn't mean to upset you by bringing you to the base. We always do that when we find a human in trouble. We help them out."

Raphael thought about that. "I thought I was in a lab." he said quietly. "It was like something out of our nightmares. I couldn't move or think, and all I could see was bright lights and felt the lab table under me."

"You were in our Medical Bay," Ironhide explained. "I wanted our CMO to take a look at ya. We didn't mean no harm, but you tried to fight us and escape. I'll tell you something son, even drugged the way you were you still fought like a demon. You really impressed Prowl and Jazz." Then he chuckled. "Just steer clear of Lamborghinis for a while."

Raphael digested that slowly. "I did hurt someone," he said. He hated it when he attacked someone and hurt them without meaning too.

"Don't worry about it son. Our Medic patched him up just fine. He's just a little short tempered about it."

Raphael chuckled. "I can relate."

The van's engine purred sounding relieved. "Well I just wanted to say I was sorry for giving you a scare, I was just trying to help you."

Raphael nodded. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused."

"Like I said before you didn't know what you were doing. We understand, though Sunstreaker is still a little miffed, but that's just the way he is. Anything else you want to know son?" The van asked.

Raphael thought about it for a moment then shook his head. "Ya tried to help. I appreciate it. You're also protecting April. She's one of only a handful of humans who know about us, and she's one of the very few we trust. She needs protecting. The Foot play for keeps and April puts herself in danger far too much to help us sometimes."

"I'll make a mention of that to my superiors," The van said. "We usually leave a small detachment in New York when we're on the West coast. Maybe Prime will leave one or two of our younger scouts to keep an eye on her."

Raphael looked down at the Van's dash. "Wow, thanks! That's pretty generous of you."

The van chuckled. "Let's just say that your friend is now on our list of humans _we_ trust. She was mighty protective of you when we brought her to you, and of the rest of your family when they showed up."

Raphael laughed. "yeah, that's April all right."

"You keep your own eye on her too son, " the van said carefully. "The guys we're after are kind of like us in terms of size. If they started targeting her, she'd be in a heap of trouble. That's why our superiors don't want her or you guys getting involved."

"Does April know that?" Raphael asked. Suddenly her reluctance to talk made sense. She didn't want to involve them if the giant robots were fighting, and even if Leo would stay out of it. If word got out giant robots were around nothing short of death threats could keep Michelangelo or Donatello away from them. _And__I__wouldn't__lay__money__on__the__death__threats__keeping__them__away._

"Yeah she knows," the van answered. "She knows what to look for, and otherwise is playing dumb organic, which is what we want our enemies to think."

"I got ya," Raphael said, a little miffed that the van called April a "dumb organic," even if he knew he didn't mean it. "Even if my brothers ask, I ain't never had no conversation with no cars."

"Thanks," the van said heaving his Hydraulics in relief. "Well that's all I wanted to talk to you about. Is there anywhere I can drop you?"

Raphael thought about it. "Just drop me somewhere dark that's got a manhole," he said. "It's time I get myself home."

The van obliged, pulling into a nearby alley. Sure enough an exposed manhole cover rested in a nearby corner. "There's no one around for over a hundred yards," the van told him. "Get going, before someone comes over."

"I'm going, I'm going," Raphael said with a chuckle. "And thanks Red. I wouldn't be here without you."

"The name's Ironhide," the van said, "and you're welcome."

"Thanks Ironhide," Raphael said, then slipped into the alley, opened the nearby manhole, and vanished into the night.

He made it back to the lair well before curfew, but to his surprise Donatello breathed a sigh of relief when he appeared. "Are you okay Raph?" Donatello asked.

Puzzled Raphael answered, "Yeah I'm fine, what's wrong?"

"You disappeared on April without warning," Leonardo said coming over to the pair, "and we couldn't reach you on your shell cell."

That surprised Raphael but only for an instant. _Of__course__they__couldn't__reach__me.__Those__giant__robots__or__whatever__can__probably__jam__our__shell__cells._Smoothly Raphael pulled it out and gave it to Donatello. "It didn't ring," he said honestly. "I just saw somebody cruising around April's neighborhood that I had to talk to. I didn't mean to run out on her. Gimme your cell Leo I'll call her now."

Leonardo handed over his Shell Cell with an unreadable expression on his face. "Someone you had to talk to?" he asked skeptically.

Raphael shrugged, and decided not to answer Leo directly. Instead he dialed April's number and listened for her voice.

"Leo?" April said worriedly.

"Nah," Raphael, said, "he's just letting me use his shell cell."

"Raphael!" April exclaimed "are you all right? What happen to you?"

"I saw someone I had to talk to," Raphael said carefully, "one of your new friends."

"My new..." April paused thinking then she asked, "he has a really impressive ride?"

"Doesn't look like much on the outside," Raphael said trying not to laugh, "but there are more to it than meets the eye." Then he couldn't resist adding, "and it's my favorite color.

"So you saw him?" April asked sounding surprised.

Now Raphael chuckled. "Yeah, wasn't supposed to, but he wanted to clear the air between us. Asked me to keep an eye on you to. Whatever they're looking for has gotta be big."

April let out a huge stressed breath. "You have no idea, Raph. Please keep the others out of it."

"Will do April," Raphael said calmly. "See ya."

"Bye Raph."

Raphael closed the Shell Cell and tossed it back to Leonardo. "You saw the guys who found you?"

Raphael took in a deep breath and looked his brother squarely in the eye. "Leo," he said, "we need to stay away from those guys they are into stuff way too big for us."

Leonardo's eyes widened. "You're saying we need to stay out of it?" He said sounding shocked.

"Yep," Raphael said firmly, "we need to stay out of it. Not only could we blow their cover, but you and I might inherit more problems than we want to deal with."

Leonardo followed Raphael's eyes to where Michelangelo and Donatello were playing video games. A questioning glance to Raphael got him a nod. "If they knew what I knew we'd never be able to keep them away."

Leonardo gave Raphael another long scrutinizing look. Raphael wondered if Leonardo suspected that he wanted to keep his elder brother far away from the giant robots as well as his younger brothers. He knew that Leo would want to investigate these aliens. _Better__I__keep__him__away__as__well__as__Don__and__Mikey._

"You don't want me to know either," Leonardo said still looking Raphael up and down.

"You're too curious for your own good," Raphael said evenly. "We need to stay out of their way."

Leonardo sighed. "You're sure about this?" He asked.

"Positive," Raphael answered, "It wouldn't hurt to if you'd let April off the hook."

Leonardo gave off unhappy vibes. "If you say so Raph," Leonardo said then walked away.

Raphael made up his mind that he didn't care what Leonardo thought. He knew he was right. He went into his room and hoisted himself up into his hammock. Maybe in a few days when Leo calmed down he would tell Master Splinter, only so he'd know that the people who had rescued him were good and would not betray them to the government. _I__'__d__still__like__to__know__more__about__them.__They__can__'__t__stay__undercover__forever.__Once__their__done__with__what__they__'__re__doing__I__'__ll__ask__April__to__tell__me__more__about__them._ Raphael chuckled when he remembered something Ironhide said.

_you still fought like a demon. _

_Just steer clear of Lamborghinis for a while._

_our Medic patched him up just fine. _

Not that he felt good about hurting someone who tried to help him, but he couldn't help smiling at the idea the memory brought up. _I__went__one__on__one__with__giant__robots__and__gave__them__something__to__remember.__Man__I__'__m__good._ He impressed a bunch of giant machines who probably could wipe out the lair in nothing flat. On that note Raphael closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep content.


End file.
